RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Of the more than 45,000 words spoken during the Oct. 15 Rancho Murieta Community Services District Board meeting, just 176 sparked a social-media critique of Director Randy Jenco that drew 74 responses.

The criticism stemmed from a question raised by Eileen Shephard during public comment. She asked Jenco about a statement he made at the Sept. 17 meeting.

“You guaranteed the audience there was water for all. I would like to know where it is,” she said.

Jenco’s Sept. 17 remark came during a discussion about declaring a moratorium on development. Addressing the board, he said, “We’ve got to get going on finding water. There is more water out there, I guarantee it.”

At the Oct. 15 meeting, Jenco struggled to answer Shephard’s question about guaranteeing water, initially saying he hadn’t made that statement at the prior meeting. When she pressed him, he responded, “I have been very clear: I think everybody can attest to this. I have said, ‘No, there is not enough water for the planned development.’” After Shephard continued pressing him, Jenco said she may have heard wrong.

Two days after the meeting, resident Richard Gehrs posted on Nextdoor about the Shephard-Jenco exchange, saying he was “flabbergasted.” He added that he found Jenco’s recent statements “illogical and irrational.” Gehrs also shared audio snippets from both meetings.

Two prior well studies have determined that the community has some groundwater. However, whether the quantity or quality is sufficient for a secondary water supply has not been determined. The board recently contracted with Water Systems Consultants to help answer these questions.

In a related development at the Oct. 15 meeting, the other board members approved Jenco’s proposal to form a “Water Vision” working group that would include himself, a staff member and developers. The group will work with Water Systems Consultants to identify potential future well sites, most of which are located on developer-owned land.

During public comment on this topic, developer Carol Anderson Ward expressed strong support for finding a backup well-water supply.